What causes PID?(pelvic inflammatory disease)?
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) occurs when an infection spreads from the vagina to the cervix, endometrium (lining of the uterus) and fallopian tubes. The infection is usually sexually transmitted. It can also occur after a ruptured (burst) appendix or a bowel infection. Some surgical procedures, such as abortion or insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD), can lead to PID. The infection usually occurs in three stages – the cervix is infected first, followed by the endometrium and then the fallopian tubes. The silent epidemic PID is often called the ‘silent epidemic’ because it is common among sexually active women but does not always cause symptoms. About 10,000 women in Australia are treated for PID in hospital each year. About 10 to 30 times that number are treated as outpatients. Women aged 20 to 29 have the highest reported incidence of PID. Signs and symptoms that can occur Signs and symptoms of PID that may occur include: (1).Lower abdominal pain or tenderness (2).Menstrual
